Saturday, September 04, 2010

Newsweek: Bill Clinton Campaigns for Obama ... or Does He?: So into the top-of-the-ticket, presidential-level campaign void has (happily) stepped Bubba, as charming as ever, as sharp as ever at stating his case to voters. Plans are still “up in the air, but expect to see him out quite a bit” ..... “Somebody’s got to get out and make the case nationally for a Democratic Congress...... As a lawyer and salesman, Clinton knows that touting Obama as The One is a nonstarter given the president’s plummeting job-approval numbers. ...... I always love listening to Bill Clinton. If you listen carefully, you can see all the gears in motion: he makes himself clear to people who bother to take him seriously. ...... So what is he saying? That this president has “done a better job than he has gotten credit for so far.” (Which is not the same thing as saying that Obama has done a good job.) And: “All elections are about the future, so what is the alternative?” (Pay no attention to Obama, look at those scary Republicans!) And: “Give us two more years—two more years until another election. If we fail, you can throw us all out.” (Hillary will then be free to pick up the pieces!)

"This president has done a better job than he has gotten credit for so far.” (Which is not the same thing as saying that Obama has done a good job.)

“All elections are about the future, so what is the alternative?” (Pay no attention to Obama, look at those scary Republicans!)

“Give us two more years—two more years until another election. If we fail, you can throw us all out.” (Hillary will then be free to pick up the pieces!)

Hillary is nowhere in the picture for 2012. This Newsweek writer is also running on empty.

The country is in an insurgency mood, and it is hard for a two term president to pose as an insurgent. Bill Clinton is a Democratic asset going into November, but he is not in the best position to capture the mood of the country right now. Reshma is.

Bill Clinton has the option to be the master of disaster to Carolyn Maloney during these final 10 days and help out Reshma Saujani. If all elections are about the future, Reshma Saujani is that future. Bill Clinton is still sharp, but he himself will admit, he is the past. He has said he is too old to sit on the Supreme Court. He knows.